SYDNEY, 1835. 
CHAPTER XIX 
AUSTRALIA 
Sydney—Excursion to Bathurst—Aspect of the woods—Party of natives—Gradual 
extinction of the aborigines—Infection generated by associated men in health— 
Blue Mountains—View of the grand gulf-like valleys—Their origin and forma¬ 
tion—Bathurst, general civility of the lower orders—State of society—Van 
Diemen’s Land—Hobart Town—Aborigines all banished—Mount Wellington 
— King George’s Sound — Cheerless aspect of the country—Bald Head, 
calcareous casts of branches of trees—Party of natives—Leave Australia. 
January 12th, 1836.—Early in the morning a light air carried 
us towards the entrance of Port Jackson. Instead of beholding 
a verdant country, interspersed with fine houses, a straight line 
of yellowish cliff brought to our minds the coast of Patagonia. 
A solitary lighthouse, built of white stone, alone told us that 
we were near a great and populous city. Having entered the 
harbour, it appears fine and spacious, with cliff-formed shores 
of horizontally stratified sandstone. The nearly level country 
is covered with thin scrubby trees, bespeaking the curse of 
sterility. Proceeding farther inland, the country improves : 
beautiful villas and nice cottages are here and there scattered 
